Rooftops in Paris
by WeasleyForMe
Summary: Paris may be the city for lovers, but the roof of the Burrow can be just as romantic when Hermione wishes upon a star. Could George be her wish come true? Hermione/George!


_Rooftops in Paris by WeasleyForMe_

_Written for the Twin Exchange February Challenge! Location: The Burrow's roof, provided by: cr8vgrl_

_Paris may be the city for lovers, but the roof of the Burrow can be just as romantic when Hermione wishes upon a star. Could George be her wish come true? Hermione/George!_

* * *

It was very late, but Hermione couldn't sleep. Maybe it was the unfamiliar bed, or perhaps she'd just had one glass of wine too many, but she felt like she couldn't stay underneath the comforter for another minute.

As quietly as possible, she climbed out of the spare bed in Ginny's room without waking her friend and looked out the open window. Just a few hours previously, the Burrow had been alive with music, dancing and laughter in celebration of the youngest Weasley graduating from Hogwarts. After the war, it seemed even more important to rejoice in the positives. Everyone had come to the Burrow to be together, remember those who were lost, and grow.

But Hermione felt like she had stalled. Although she was thrilled for Ginny and her other friends who had graduated, she couldn't seem to make any decisions for herself. And, she was lonely.

Sighing, Hermione tried to lean out through the window to look at the stars, and then she looked down at the roof jutting out from the lower level of the house. "Well, you're already awake. Might as well get a better look," she muttered to herself.

Ginny rolled over and groaned in her sleep. Hermione froze, halfway out the window, trying not to laugh. Her friend had obviously had a little too much fun with the elderberry wine and elvish brandy that Professor McGonagall had brought over to the Burrow. Of course, Hermione had been no better, dancing a waltz followed by the boogie with George.

Chuckling, Hermione slid out the window until her foot hit the roof. She gingerly walked barefoot along the shingles past Percy's bedroom and around the back of the house where the roof grew wider over the back porch.

"It's beautiful," Hermione gasped as she sat down on the rough surface and looked up at the velvety black sky speckled with brilliant stars. She pulled at her plaid pyjama bottoms so her ankles and feet were covered as well and leaned back to contemplate.

"One week, Hermione. You only have one week to decide," she told herself as she found all the stars in Aries. After completing basic training to become a Healer, she had to commit to stay in England at St. Mungos or to travel abroad and train to be a Healer in Paris. She had no friends or love life to speak of tying her to London, but it was still home. However, she was starting to find that home was also a lonely place.

A shooting star caught the corner of her eye and she watched it streak across the sky like a knife slicing through black fabric.

"I wish I wasn't all alone," she sighed sadly into the light summer breeze. Her mind drifted as she lay down on the roof, but as soon as she closed her eyes to think, she heard a thud behind her.

"Oh hey, Hermione," George told her with a casual smile as he climbed out of the window at the corner of the house onto the porch roof.

"George!" she squeaked as she wrapped her arms around her thin pyjama shirt. "What are you doing out here? Is this a joke? Did you hear _my wish_?" she asked hurriedly, embarrassed that he could have overheard her most personal yearning.

"Hmm? No, I was just watching the stars through my window and decided the roof seemed like a nice place to be. I was right, especially since my favorite dance partner is out here," he told her with a smile as he plopped down next to her. Hermione returned his smile; he seemed more subdued without Fred, but he was still the same old George who was fun to be around.

"But why are you out here? Shouldn't you be giggling with Ginny, having a slumber party?" George asked, nudging her in the ribs.

Hermione laughed and relaxed. "We're not thirteen anymore!"

"Obviously," he said, only half kidding around. Hermione Granger was definitely not a child. He had noticed, once again, while he danced with her at Ginny's party that she had grown into a vibrant woman.

They eased into a companionable silence, side by side on the roof, both lost in their own thoughts.

After a few minutes, Hermione turned onto her side to face him. "What's on your mind, George?"

"You really want to know?" he asked, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Yes, please! I need to give my own thoughts a rest."

"Well if you insist," George replied. He folded his arms behind his head and examined a stray cloud passing over the moon. "Have you ever felt alone? Like completely alone? Even though you are surrounded by so many people that you can't even hear yourself think?" he finally asked.

"Yes," Hermione barely whispered, surprised George felt the way she did.

"I still miss Fred, always will," he continued. "But, it's more than that. I need to start something new, but it's nerve-wracking to do it alone." George turned his head to face her. "I've decided to expand Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Hermione, I'm moving to Paris to open up the new store next month. Can you believe that?" George asked with a chuckle.

"Paris? As in France?" Hermione asked him, bolting up in surprise. Had someone put him up to this? "Are you being serious, George?"

"Yep, hard to believe, I know, especially since I can't speak a bit of French," he laughed at the thought of himself learning to communicate. "But, Verity has been there since the beginning. She'll run the Diagon Alley store just fine without me. I just need to figure out if a fresh start is what I need, you know?"

Hermione leaned over and stared down at him where he lay on the roof. She opened her mouth to speak several times, but finally closed it and eyed him suspiciously. It felt like George was reading her emotions back to her.

"Gee Hermione, you're acting awfully strange tonight. Too much wine?" he asked her with a wink. "Or not enough dancing with me, perhaps?"

"I'm moving to Paris," Hermione whispered.

George looked up into her pretty face surrounded by the night sky, and he just wanted to kiss her. Then he blinked rapidly. "Wait, you're what?"

Hermione nodded her head, knowing she had made the right decision. "I honestly just decided, right before you came out here, that I'm going to move to Paris and become a Healer at Val-de-Grace Hospital."

"Why?" George asked, genuinely intrigued. The summer breeze blew Hermione's curls, and George couldn't help but reach over and tuck them behind her ear.

Thankful that the darkness hid her pink cheeks, she looked into his eyes and asked, "Have you ever felt alone? Like completely alone? Even though you are surrounded by so many people that you can't even hear yourself think?"

George grinned. She was using his own words to make her point.

"My parents are lost in Australia," she whispered. It still hurt to think about. "Most of my friends from Hogwarts are married or getting married, and the last date I went on was to see a cartoon marathon at the muggle cinema with Neville Longbottom!"

George tried to stifle his laughter, but Hermione swiftly smacked his shoulder.

"Face it," she added, "I need a fresh start as badly as you do."

George took her smaller hand in his and held it up to his heart. "You certainly earned it, watching a marathon with Longbottom."

She stuck her tongue out at him as he laughed. Then she lay down on the roof once more, this time closer to George. Neither of them released the other's hand.

"I hope you don't mind too much, sharing the new town with me," George said after awhile.

"Paris is a pretty large city," Hermione said with a laugh.

George turned to look at her, his eyes fixated on hers. "That may be so, but you're not getting my gist." He was at the point of no return. "Maybe we could spend some time there together. Us," he added with a small shrug, trying to remain casual.

Hermione was suddenly very nervous. "See the sights together?" she asked quietly.

George smiled and inched himself closer to her. "Yup, and maybe pretend we understand French."

"Oh! We could visit the Eiffel Tower and Merlin's Monument! I've always wanted to go there!" she gushed.

"You'll probably need a strong man to protect you from any creepy French admirers you should acquire," he told her with a wink.

Hermione giggled, still very aware of his hand in hers. "When we aren't too busy working, we can go for walks in the rain."

"And, we can wear berets, and I'll grow a moustache!" George announced excitedly.

Hermione laughed for a moment as George stroked his hairless face. "Oh, we can even travel home together for holidays," Hermione said, knowing she really would miss England.

George turned serious for a moment. "And most importantly, I can kiss you on a rooftop right in the middle of the most romantic city in the world."

Hermione bit her lip. George had danced with her at the party, and then he showed up on the roof, seemingly answering her request from the shooting star. She decided to give fate a little poke. "It's pretty romantic on this particular rooftop, under the stars," she whispered with a shy smile.

"Right you are. Besides, I would never disagree with a pretty girl," George whispered, and he slowly leaned toward her, closing the distance between them.

Hermione wanted to squeal in delight as their mouths met; his lips danced lightly against hers as she returned his kisses. She gently slid closer to him until she could feel his body heat, cutting through the chill of the night and warming her. She lifted her hands and ran them through George's hair.

What began as tentative, exploratory kissing soon turned into more as George's hand came to rest on Hermione's waist. George parted her lips with his, and Hermione felt his tongue delve gently between her lips. He moved at a pace almost unbearably slowly for her, and yet she could barely keep up as he switched to nipping at her lips and neck.

George's mouth was hot and perfect against hers; Hermione hadn't been this completely good and snogged in too long. She could only think that she and George should have done this far sooner. Hermione knew, as soon as he started to release her lips, she was going to keep wanting more.

"Sweet Merlin, Hermione, you're lips are hotter than a cauldron!" he told her breathlessly.

"Then why did you stop?" she pouted up at him, his green eyes twinkling as he winked at her.

"Maybe we ought to save a little something for Paris…." he trailed off. For the first time since he lost his twin, George didn't feel completely alone in the world.

Hermione grinned. "You'd better start working on that moustache!"

"Oui, oui, mademoiselle!" he exclaimed jumping to his feet and pulling her up into his arms.

"You're a wish come true," Hermione murmured against his neck.

"What was that, love?" George asked, not quite hearing her.

Hermione smiled and backed away from him. "I'm going to go get some sleep. I need to get home early tomorrow to send a letter to St. Mungos to let them know I'm moving to France!"

George pulled her back for one more kiss. "And I need to get up early to send you an owl asking you out on a proper date."

Blushing profusely, Hermione bid him goodnight and crept back in through Ginny's window without causing her friend to stir. She climbed into the spare bed and fell asleep with a smile knowing she wouldn't be feeling so alone anymore.

* * *

_George IS a wish come true! Happy Valentine's Day!  
_

_Thanks for reading, and please review! Don't forget to read all of the stories posted for the Twin Exchange challenge and vote for your favorite! The link is in my profile :)_


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